The present invention relates in general to a musical amplifier and speaker system, and pertains, more particularly, to a volume control device associated with the system for maintaining a constant distortion output over the normal volume range of the system. In accordance with the invention the device is for preserving the same quality of distortion at all output levels of the amplifier and speaker system.
Some amplifier systems are constructed to minimize distortion. However, modern music seeks to inject distortion into the musical tones with the distortion being considered as part of the musical composition. With modern music systems, the nature and quality of the distortion is created by the amplifier itself. However, one of the difficulties with an existing system is that the nature, character, quality and sound of the distortion changes with different amplifier output levels. At a high gain level, the distortion has a different quality than at a low gain level. When one simply turns up the volume of the amplifier there is a change in the quality of the distortion, and similarly there is a change when the gain of the amplifier is reduced. This is an undesirable characteristic of existing systems wherein the distortion changes with volume.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an amplifier and speaker system wherein the distortion is maintained substantially constant over the output volume range of the system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an indicator scale in association with the device of this invention indicating to the user of the system the appropriate impedance match between amplifier and speaker.